1:: A Flicker of the Flame
by Sora- the extream shorty
Summary: Their meeting that day was no matter of chance, But After losing contact with his best friend, can Roxas learn to trust him fully again? Will friendship turn to something more? M for drugs, alcohal more. NO HATERS PLEASE! Axel//Roxas. fluffy
1. Chapter 1

**Whoot!  
I finally got down to starting an Axel//Roxas fic!**

**:D  
I'm so verrrry proud of meself.  
lol**

**I've had this idea stuck in my head probably sense I ended 'Who are you?'.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the charries from Kingdom Hearts I/II, nor did I create the game.**

**YAOI.**

**Need I say more?**

**Those who don't like,  
DON'T READ.**

**I shouldn't have to tell you more then once,  
lol**

**NO HATERS PLEASE!!**

**I know that there are people that have very Strong morals,  
but so do I!  
I believe in the RIGHT TO LOVE, and the LOVE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE!**

* * *

**A Flicker of the Flame  
::::::::**

For Roxas' brother, nothing was spared. His mother had baked only his favorite cake along with cookies and other sweets. Of corse he had all his friends over. He probably knew more people then Roxas had ever talked to.  
Twilight Town wasn't all that small. The only home the two brothers had ever known.  
Sora was turning 17, a mile marker their mom called it. It was the start of his last year as a teen...  
Roxas, was already 18. Not that they had made a big deal out of it. His birthdays were always kept quiet.  
He didn't like big crowds, and wasn't one that got along with more then one person at a time mostly.  
It had been that way ever sense Sora and he were younger.  
When /He/ was Roxas' best friend.

_**----  
**-Flash back-_

_A small 11 year old Roxas, followed closely by 10 year old Sora, ran to the playground.  
Roxas had already learned to skateboard, and loved to skate in front of the small park in their neighborhood._

_One day, Roxas was skating while Sora was playing on the playground equipment.  
Roxas skidded to a halt when he heard Sora cry out.  
Running over to his slightly younger brother, the Blonde noticed Sora was crying.  
Sora had fallen down while trying once again to swing on the monkey bars.  
Roxas helped him up, brushing him off._

_Roxas frowned slightly, "You should be more careful." He told him.  
Sora looked like he had gotten scolded instead of helped as Roxas ran off to skate again.  
He would never tell Roxas the reason why he always fell, or hurt himself, was because he wouldn't pay attention to him otherwise._

_When Roxas was busy skating,  
a taller red-headed kid came._

_His hair was such a bright color, that Roxas thought it was on fire at first._

_When Sora called out next, Roxas stopped once again to come and see what was wrong.  
Only to find a damp-faced Sora laughing lightly as the flaming red-head gently poked his stomach._

_When the red-head looked up, bright green eyes met with soft blue ones.  
The two wouldn't be far from each other for years to come._

_A few years down the road, Roxas now 15, was walking along with the same flaming red-head after school.  
Sora came running after, trying to catch up.  
Roxas turned, yelling at him to go with his own friends and leave him alone.  
Sora's best friend, Kairi was there to be his shoulder as the brunette turned and left, tears in his eyes.  
To Roxas, Sora was just to clingy.  
They were both teens now, he didn't need him hanging around all the time..._

_Roxas' friend now elbowed him slightly._

_"You know..."  
He began, waving a hand slightly and sighing.  
"Sometimes I wish I had a little brother."_

_Roxas looked up, cocking an eyebrow.  
"......Axel?"  
He said the others name.  
He had never known his friend to mention wishes.  
He had always said there was no point in wishing.  
They never came true._

_Axel smiled that smirk of his.  
"Maybe you're lucky, to have a brother that wants to spend time with you."_

_Roxas shook his head,  
"Naw....it's just annoying. I got tired of hanging out with him a long time ago."_

_This brougt up a chuckle from Axel.  
"Yet you never tire of me."  
He said, grinning._

_Roxas laughed. It was true. Axel was unexpected, like a surprise you got every day just by hanging around him.  
He was known for doing what was least expected of him. He was mostly cool headed, but when heated, you didn't want to be the one at the receiving end of his fire-like anger.  
He was a great friend, always there when you needed him most.  
Always knowing what to say...no matter how strange it came out.  
That was why Roxas liked- no, loved to be with him.  
Sora was just his brother. Always around..nagging him when he least wanted to be bothered._

_Nothing like Axel._

_A few years after that day....  
Roxas, 17. Sora, 16.  
Sora wanted nothing to do with him.  
Roxas was glad, at first. Sora would hang out with his own friends....even had a girlfriend. He hardly even spoke to Roxas anymore.  
Roxas' birthday was coming in just one week, and already he was excited. He wanted to go out and do so many things that he couldn't do under his mom's reign.  
He knew just who he wanted to do them all with, too.  
Axel was already 18, almost 19. He had already gone out and partied, drank, and smoked.  
Roxas was envious. Though when he asked Axel for a cigarette once, he was surprised when Axel told him a firm 'No'._

_"You can smoke when your 18."  
He told him, with a small smile._

_For some odd reason, Axel never showed to his birthday.  
Everyone else that had been invited...Hayner, Olette- who was going out with Sora, Pence...They all came, and others too.  
But no Axel._

_Roxas worried for days, constantly trying to get a hold of Axel. Calling, texting, email...you name it.  
No Axel._

_-end flash back-_

_**--**_

Roxas shook his head, grabbing his skateboard as he headed out the front door.  
No one would notice he was gone until after the party anyway...Not that it mattered.  
He had his own apartment now, a small place about 6 blocks from his folks house.  
It was over a year now sense he had lost contact with Axel. He never could figure out why his best friend would leave him like that, so out to dry.  
It pained him to this day to think about him.  
Yet, today, he couldn't get him out of his head.

Roxas skated down to that small little park where he and his brother once played together...  
where he had first met Axel.  
He kicked his skateboard against a tree, and sat down on the end of a slide.

On the side of the slide, scratched into its surface, was his name along with Axel's.

They had done it as a way of marking it as theirs. As a place that would always belong to them.

As Roxas ran his fingers over those etched letters....  
Tears started to flow silently down his cheeks.

"....Axel..."  
He whispered hoarsely,  
"Where did you go?"

Roxas had lost his interest in smoking after Axel was gone, therefor hating the smell of it.  
A whiff of smoke hit his nostrils as he whiped his eyes lightly.  
Looking up, he saw someone in a long black leather coat, standing against the tree where his skateboard was.  
Not that he needed his skateboard smelling like smoke.

Roxas got up, sighing in an irritated way as he headed over to the tree and the cancer-stick sucking guy.

"Hey, you. You mind? It's a kids park. Don't need you giving cancer to kids besides yourself."  
Roxas said in a smart-mouth sort of tone.

The man chuckled, "It's only second hand smoke...besides, I don't see any little kids here."  
The man didn't look at Roxas as he took another long puff.

Roxas leaned down and grabbed his skateboard.  
"How do you know I'm not?"  
He asked as he stood.  
He was in a bad mood, and this guy was getting the brunt of it.

The man stood still for a moment, his cigarette ash dropping to the ground.  
"...Because, You'd be....what? 18 now? I'd say a big boy at least."

Roxas stood ridged,  
"How the hell do you know...?"  
He asked, Narrowing his eyes.

"What? Forgotten my voice already?"  
The man asked, reaching up to pull back his hood.

Roxas gasped, tears welling in his eyes all over again.  
"....A-Axel....."  
He said breathlessly as he took a step towards him.

Axel chuckled slightly, waving a hand.  
"In the flesh."  
He chucked his now dead cigarette.

Roxas didn't know what to think.  
Exept he was pissed.  
"You Bastard."  
He said, gritting his teeth as he dropped his board to the ground.

Axel held up his hands,  
"Now, I know you might be a little ticked....but is there really need for name-calling?"  
He said, his smile faltering.

Roxas clenched his fists as he took another small step foreword.  
"...You left me, not saying a word. You never came.....I didn't hear a thing about you...no one would tell me...."  
He almost choked out.

Axel came to him and wrapped him in a hug.  
"I'm sorry, Rox. I was having some...problems. Ones that I didn't need to get you mixed up in."  
He said, hoping against hope that the Blonde didn't totally hate him now.

Roxas didn't hug him back, still standing ridged as tears rolled down his face.  
On top of that, it started to rain.  
Almost right away, his cell phone rang.

When he wouldn't answer his phone, Axel reached into his pocket and shut off the ringing flip phone without another thought.  
Roxas didn't put up much of a fight as Axel led him to his car, letting him in the passenger side.

Roxas didn't do more then buckle up as Axel got in and started the engine.  
He didn't even ask where they were going.

Axel drove in silence, only soft rock music played on the radio.  
They drove for what seemed to Roxas like hours before pulling into the parking lot of an apartment complex.

Roxas let out a soft gasp,  
"You live here?"  
He asked, seeing his own car only a few feet away.

Axel gave him a sheepish smile.  
"I moved in here from my old place a few months ago..."  
He ran a hand through his hair as the rain pelted the car in which they sat.  
"Your brother had told me you lived here."

Roxas now looked over at his old friend.  
"...So you've been living in the same complex, and never came to see me?"  
He asked with a small questioning look.

Axel looked down,  
and it was the first time that Roxas had ever seen him look really unsure.  
"...I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again, after what I did to you."  
He said, fingering the zipper of his jacket.  
"I had fallen in with a few shady guys...started doing some coke and other shit. Ended up getting in pretty deep. I had to get out of it....and I had to get help. I didn't want to drag you down with me, so I stayed away from you."

Roxas reached over and took Axel's hand gently,  
"Ax, you should have told me...I would have been there for you."  
He said, no longer feeling mad at him.  
He had a feeling it was something like that. Though being the way he was, he had been waiting for Axel to tell him himself.

Axel gave Roxas hand a squeeze back.  
"I know that now."  
He said softly.

The air in the car had turned suddenly warmer, and Roxas felt his throat grow tight.  
He couldn't say another word as Axel leaned in toward him, his green eyes flashing between Roxas' own blue ones, and the Blonde's lips.  
Roxas knew what was coming...  
He only wondered one thing as the red-head's lips met his own.  
How had it gotten like this?

It was soft, sweet, and full of something Roxas hadn't felt before.  
He had never had anyone but Axel when he was younger. So he supposed that's the way it was meant to be.  
That he hadn't needed a girlfriend as long as he had Axel.  
Even after Axel 'left', he didn't reach out for one. He didn't feel the need to. Not that one had even caught his eye.

As Axel pulled away, his looked apologetic.  
"I'm sorry."  
He said softly, his face inches away from the Blonde's.

Roxas blushed slightly,  
"Hey, I'm not mad anymore."  
He chuckled, giving the hand he still held a firm squeeze.

The blonde sighed as he shut his door.

So many thoughts ran through his mind....it was like grand central station at rush hour.

He could only flop onto his bed and cover his eyes with the hand that Axel's room number and cell were written on.  
Then touching his lips.

Why had he kissed him?  
They had never been like that....  
Sure they had talked about being bi..and partial to guys at that, but never doing anything like that with each other.  
Roxas wasn't complaining though.  
He had felt something...almost like a spark that snaked through his whole body the moment their lips first had contact.  
There was no other way he could explain it.

For most of the night,  
all he could do was stare at his phone.  
Almost willing it to ring.  
Fully unsure what he would say if it was him...

**

* * *

**

**-**

**teehee.**

**:)**

**I'm proud of myself big time now.  
It's so cute!**

**I hope it came out as well as I thought it did!**

**Please,  
Read and Review!**

**-Sora**


	2. Chapter 2

**No worries, I'm not going to totally forget the other story I'm working on...  
I'm just spacing out my time a bit.**

**As always, Disclaimer on first page.  
Also the Warning.  
[YAOI]**

* * *

**A Flicker of the Flame  
{ What's Going on? }  
:::::::::::::::**

At the same time that Roxas was lying awake, Axel was sitting up on his couch, drumming his fingers on the arm of it. He didn't want to wake the Blond if he was already asleep, but he didn't want to wait forever to call him either.  
He wanted so badly to pick up his phone, now on the small side table beside him, and punch in the number that had only taken him 2 minutes to memorise.

Sighing, Axel ran a hand through his red spikes.  
Maybe he should just turn in.  
'Or I could just go over there, pounce on him, and give the neighbors something to talk about in the morning...'  
The red-head chuckled, but shook his head. It was way to soon to assume the blond would welcome him back into his life again. Let alone except the feelings that Axel had been keeping from him for a long time now.

Axel had first realized his feelings for Roxas at a school dance.  
Neither of them had dates, so they simply went together. No on had questioned why.  
It was when a petite blonde-haired girl had started making eyes at Roxas, the Axel pulled him away.  
He had led him away from the crowded dance floor and out into the cool night air.  
He told Roxas he wanted some fresh air, not that the Blond minded.  
Roxas had always seemed ever so happy to do what ever Axel wanted to do.  
Axel had started noticing that he was a little more attached to Roxas then he had first thought.  
Neither of them said a word as they held hands on their way out of the building.  
Nothing was ever mentioned of a prolonged hug afterwords either.

Maybe Roxas had forgotten about that night...  
but Axel never could get it out of his mind.

After that, it was harder for him not to think of his friend in other ways.

One week after the dance, Axel found himself touching himself to thoughts of the Blond.  
That was when he knew that he had crossed a line.  
So he cut all ties with Roxas to give himself time to think.  
It wasn't meant to be more then a few days.....but when Axel came to terms with his feelings, he didn't think Roxas would approve of them.  
But he couldn't push Roxas from his mind.

That was when he started hanging out with the wrong people.  
Xemnas, Xigbar and Luxord.  
They helped him get into coke, drinking, and sex.

Axel thought that maybe it would make him forget about Roxas.  
But the only hooker he would bang, was a vocal blonde chick.  
It was when he called out Roxas' name at the end of it one night, that he knew he had to stop it.  
He had to get out of the hole he dug for himself.

It took a while, but he got help.  
He got rid of Xemnas and his friends.  
Went to a group counciling even....  
All for one purpose.  
To get back to Roxas. To tell him how he felt. To make everything either better, or a hell of a lot worse.  
Because if Roxas turned him away, he would have no one.

-

It was 3:20am when Roxas' phone rang.  
'Burn, baby, Burn!'

Roxas sat up quickly, grabbing up his phone and clicking it open.  
"H-Hello?" He said eagerly, waiting nervously.

"Rox...Hey, sorry if I woke you."  
Axel sounded almost as nervous.  
But There was something else. Roxas couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Oh, no!" Roxas said with a slight chuckle. "I couldn't sleep....so no worries."

Axel smiled softly from on the other side of the line, not that Roxas could see though of course.  
"Look, I really am sorry about everything...and-"  
He paused, taking a nervous breath.

Roxas felt clear anticipation.  
"...And?"  
He asked eagerly.

"Roxas. If you hate me, I understand. I shouldn't have done what I did to you."  
Axel said slowly, clenching and un-clenching one hand.  
"But I did it....so you wouldn't hate me...if that makes any sense..."

This confused Roxas slightly,  
"What do you mean?"  
He asked in a soft tone.  
Axel was talking circles around something, and he was dying to know what it was.  
He /Had/ to know.

Axel took a deep and slow breath.  
It was now or never.

"Roxas, do you remember when we went to that last school dance together?"

Roxas sighed softly, smiling.  
"Yeah."  
He said as he his mind wander to that night.  
He hadn't even looked for a date, he hadn't wanted one.  
When Axel had made that 'agreement' with him to go together if they didn't find a date,  
he couldn't say no if he had wanted to.

"I hadn't even looked for a date. I had to turn down like 3 girls..."  
Axel said sheepishly.

Roxas was surprised that he didn't have more girls then that after him then.  
"You did...? why?"  
He asked, frowning slightly.

"Because, it took me that one night to finally realize that I liked you."  
Axel said softly.

Roxas could hardly hold onto his phone.  
His hands started to shake slightly as Axel went on.

"I still do Roxas,"  
The Red-head added,  
"I feel like I need you...far more then a friend ever would."

Roxas could feel his throat tightening almost painfully so.  
He wanted to say something.....but he couldn't make any words come out.

"...I get it, Rox. I'm sorry...."  
Then the line went dead.

Roxas gasped,  
"..No! Axel...."  
he lowered his phone, looking at it almost longingly.  
"Axel, I..."

Roxas understood now.  
That's why Axel left...he thought he would hate him for his feelings.  
"...Oh Axel...."  
The Blond mumbled, and looked down at his hand.  
The apartment numbers were still clear enough to read.  
Roxas knew what he had to do.

-

Quickly pulling on his shoes, Axel stuffed his phone into his pocket.  
He needed to get out of here...away from Roxas. The Blonde's silence had been worse then a clearly stated rejection.  
It hurt.

Grabbing his car keys, Axel headed for the door.  
Just as he was about to open the door, a flurry of rapid knocks sounded out from the other side.  
"Axel? It's me....c-can I come in?"  
Came an uncertain Roxas' voice.  
It sounded as if he ran all the way from his apartment.

Axel pulled his hand away from the door knob.  
"...Why?"  
He asked, wondering if he could handle a 'to his face' rejection as well...

"Please."  
Pleaded Roxas, sounding almost winny.  
"I don't hate you!"

Axel opened the door, his face blank as he looked at Roxas.

The Blonde was now soaked all over again, the rain still pounding down.  
He looked like he was shaking too.

Axel couldn't say no to the look on Roxas' face...  
and ushered him in side.

Roxas stood on the tile as Axel went to get a few towels, the blond trying to keep his teeth from chattering.  
Axel came back and went to work, removing Roxas' coat and wrapping the towels around him.  
He sat the blonde down on the couch and went to make some hot coffee.

Roxas sat there, looking around.  
He rubbed himself to try and warm up...but he only seemed to get colder.

When Axel came back, he had some clothes of his.  
"Bathroom is down the hall to the right."  
He said, handing them to the shaking blond.

Roxas took them with a small, "Thanks..."  
Heading down the way directed.

Axel had two cups of coffee ready when Roxas came out.  
The clothes hung off him, clearly he was a head shorter or so the Axel.  
Roxas hung up his dripping clothes and the two sat on the couch.  
The coffee was sweet, just how Roxas liked it, but with a sort of...Cinnamon taste to it.  
Like Axel.

Roxas blushed slightly at the thought.  
But that had been the slight after-taste after that kiss in the car...

"Rox? Are you okay? Your face is flushed."  
Axel said, worried.

Roxas set down his cup on the side table.  
"...can you h-hold me?"  
He asked softly, looking to Axel with pleading eyes.

"Hold you...? Roxas....."  
Axel looked slightly stunned as he moved closer.

Roxas shook his head,  
"Axel, I could never hate you....you were my best friend."  
He pulled his knees up to his chest, closing his eyes tightly.  
"I don't know how I feel really....I'm confused. But I think that I might like you, Ax."  
The last came out in a choked off hiccup.

Axel quickly pulled the blonde into his lap, grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch to cover them up.  
"Roxas...you idiot. You could catch a cold from running out in the rain like that."  
He mumbled with a sigh, resting his head on the others.

Roxas clinged to the others chest, still shaking slightly.  
It was too much to take in at once.  
So he decided to simply push everything else from his mind.  
All he knew right then, was this man was holding him...  
And it felt good.

---

When Roxas stirred, light from a nearby window told him the sun was already up.  
He didn't want to get up, however.  
He didn't want it to all go away, like a dream that wasn't true.  
But as he focused his eyes, Axel's arms were indeed still wrapped around him, the older male surving as his human pillow.

Roxas smiled softly, and before thinking...  
laid a soft kiss on Axel's still lips.

He looked so innocent when he was sleeping. Nothing like when he was awake.  
There was no smirk on his face, leaving his expression calm and peaceful.

Roxas wanted to beat himself for causing Axel pain like he did...  
He should have been there when he needed him.

The blond cuddled to the older, softly stroking his fingers along the soft pale skin of Axel's neck.

A few moments later, a soft groan came from Axel as he shifted under Roxas.  
His bright green eyes opened slowly as he smiled up at the blond.

Roxas blushed slightly, rubbing his face in Axel chest.

The red head sighed as he rubbed Roxas' back lightly under the covers. He wouldn't tell Roxas, but he had wanted to see him in a set of his clothes for a while.  
He raised Roxas' head and leaned up.  
"Good morning."  
He mumbled a bit groggily still as he placed their lips together for a linguring kiss.  
Roxas returning it fully this time.

As the pair lay there a while longer,  
Roxas had a feeling of resolve.

He would let his feeling sort themselves out. Taking it day by day. He knew that Axel was more then the friend he used to be, but not sure what he was to him just yet.  
He was willing to figure that out though.

Axel was happy that Roxas didn't hate him..  
and he was currently basking in the fact that Roxas kissed him back.  
He knew how he felt about the younger man, but wouldn't push himself on him.

"So, Roxas.....you want some food?"  
Axel asked with a chuckle,  
....only to find the blond had fallen back asleep with his fingers entangled in Axel's red spikes.

* * *

R+R please!


	3. Chapter 3

A Flicker of the Flame  
{Don't wake me up}  
::::::::::::::::::::

Axel and Roxas started to spend more time together. Though somehow, Roxas' family had found out of Axel's return, and Sora had some choice words for Roxas.  
"How do you know what that fuck has planned?" The Brunette said one day when Roxas stopped by to pick up a few things. Roxas was confused at Sora's reaction. He used to like hanging around Axel...but then again, He had stopped wanting to be around Roxas, so why would he care who Roxas hung around anyway.  
But to call Axel a 'fuck' was a mistake. It caused a huge up roar in the end, which ended in Roxas' storming out.

Even his mom, who had claimed Axel was her third son, now said he was no good.  
She even told Roxas that if Axel was going to be with him, he better not think of showing back up at her house.  
"After all, he up and left!"  
She argued.

Roxas had been walking out the his car when he turned to face his mom.  
His look was stern, but at the same time hurt.  
"He didn't mean too. Besides, he came back, didn't he?"

His mom shook her head, her hands on her hips.  
"You talk about him as if you think he loves you! Have you up and gone queer on me?"  
She asked, hissing the last.

Roxas frowned,  
"It hurts that you see it that way mom, as a bad thing. I can't believe you!"  
He felt the tears forming in his eyes.  
"Well just so you know, I know for a fact that he cares about me! And oh yeah, I think I might just feel the same about him."  
He said, from behind gritted teeth.

As he got into his car and started the engine,  
he could hear his mom call out one last threat.  
"If you go gay, don't come back! At least I had ONE good, straight, son!"

Roxas went straight to Axel's apartment after that. The Red-head was stil gone at work, but he had given Roxas' a spare key, should he need anything while he was gone.  
When Axel got home that night, he found Roxas puffy-eyed and sniffling, curled up on his bed.

"Oh Rox..."  
Axel said, looking concerned as he sat next to the still teary eyed blond.

"S-Sora and m-mom d-on't want me to b-be around you..."  
Roxas said, his voice shaking as he moved into Axel's lap

Axel hushed him quietly,  
"That doesn't matter what they think...did you forget that were not 17 anymore?"  
He said, stroking Roxas' hair softly.

Roxas snuggled to the others chest.  
"...I-I know...b-but...-"

"No buts."  
Axel said firmly, lifting Roxas' head so to look at him.  
"You do what you want, Roxas. If you want to listen to them, then fine."

Axel started to get up, but Roxas clinged to him.  
"Axel...I-I'm not going to let them get to me."  
Roxas' said, his voice pleading.  
"Just please...don't be mad."

Axel settled back, shaking his head as he smiled softly.  
"I could never be mad at you."  
He said truthfully.

Roxas leaned up and slowly, a bit unsteadily, kissed him.  
Axel was a bit surprised, but pleased none-the-less, kissing the blond back.  
Roxas let out a small noise into the kiss, gripping the front of Axel's jacket tightly.

It was when Roxas started putting more force into the kiss that Axel pushed him away slightly.  
Panting slightly,  
Green eyes searched slightly clouded blue ones.

"Roxas, I don't want you to come to me just because your...frustrated."  
Axel said, with a bit of regret.  
If the blond was going to come onto him, he wanted it to be because of feelings he might have for him...  
"I won't be used."

Roxas looked pained as he slowly backed off of Axel's lap.  
He drew his knees up to his chest as Axel got up and left the room.  
"...I'm so sorry..."  
Roxas whispered brokenly, once the red-head was gone.

Axel sighed, slowly tucking his cigarette pack in his pocket.

After the small episode with Roxas, Axel had left to go to the store. He was glad when no one else seemed to be around other then the small store clerk, who happened to be an old friend of his.

Axel had started telling him what happened the moment he walked into the store.

"...So then I just left."  
Axel concluded with a sigh, pulling out a single cigarette.

The usually happy store clerk, named Demyx, made a small thoughtful noise.  
"Maybe you should have stayed and talked things over a little."  
He suggested, leaning on the counter as Axel lit up his cigarette.  
Even though the sign clearly stated that all smoking was to be done out side,  
no one ever payed the slightest bit of attention to the would be rule.

Axel took a long drag off his cig, sighing as he blew out the smoke slowly.  
"...There wasn't really anything to talk about. Other then his folks don't like me anymore."

This caught Demyx's attention.  
"What did he tell you?"  
He asked, climbing up to sit on the counter, listening intently

Axel shrugged,  
"His brother called me a bum, and his mom told him it wasn't good to be around me."  
He cocked an eyebrow at the mullet-hair styled energetic young man.  
"Is that supposed to mean something in particular?"

"Only if he has selfesteam issues."  
Demyx told him with a slight frown,  
"And from what you tell me, he does."

Axel frowned,  
taking another long drag.  
"Are you telling me I should go back?"

"Only if you want to keep him from doing something drastic."  
The blond on the counter told him,  
"He must have argued back at them for you, fought for you. I'd feel pretty damn stupid if you had walked out on me after all that."

Axel finally had a look of realization on his face.  
"SHIT."  
He groaned, running out of the store.

Demyx had a point.  
Roxas must have gotten into a fight with his folks over him...  
they didn't like him,  
but Roxas did.

The Axel just left like that.  
He could only imagine what that did to Roxas.

As he quickly drove out of the parking lot,  
Axel pleaded silently in his head that Roxas didn't hate him.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

When Roxas heard the front door close as Axel left, tears clouded his vision.  
He got up and looked out the far window, watching the red-head pull out of the parking lot.

He rested his forehead on the glass, tears flowing steadily now as he whispered Axel's name.  
He blamed himself for Axel leaving.  
He blamed himself for his Mom's sudden turn against the boy she used to consider a third son.  
He blamed himself for Sora hating not only Axel, but Roxas as well.

He should have listened to Axel those years ago, and hung out more with the brunette.

But at this point, it wouldn't have made a difference.  
His own mother had shunned him away. Just because he thought he might be falling for his old best friend.

His brother too.  
That had hurt more then anything. To be called 'queer' by his mom, like she thought it was a plague.

What hurt the most, is that fact that he was weak enough to let their words effect him so much.  
He had barely been able to drive back to the apartments safely because he had been shaking so much.

Finally, Roxas slunk to the floor. His body shaking as his sobs rocked his body.  
His own mother...He couldn't shake it from his mind. And then Axel...he had just left like that.  
When Roxas most needed him. To feel needed. That was the only reason he had come onto Axel like that.  
He wanted to feel wanted.

The blond could hardly breath as he felt his air-ways constricting.  
...and he had left his asthma inhaler at his own apartment.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Killing the engine, Axel practically lept from the car, running to his apartment.  
"Roxas?"  
He called out, quickly opening the door as he found it still unlocked. When there was no answer, the red-head looked around.  
Reaching his room, Axel gasped. He quickly made his way to Roxas' side.  
The Blond was still breathing, but it was raspy and shallow. Axel picked him up and layed him on his bed.  
"Oh god, Rox, just hold on...I'll get your medicine...shit..."  
Axel mumbled, looking around wildly.

He grabbed his keys and ran to Roxas' place, thankfully only a few flights up from his own apartment.  
Once inside, he ran to the cabinet beside Roxas' bed.  
In it he found the blonde's inhaler.

"Oh thank god..."  
Axel let out a breath, dashing back to his apartment with the much needed inhaler.  
"Roxas don't you give up on me."

It gos without saying that Axel did his best to get back to Roxas as quickly as possible.  
When he got back, he took the blond protectively into his arms, giving him his inhaler.

Roxas wheezed as he took his much needed dose, his face pretty pale as he had to hold in his breath for a few moments.  
When he could finally let out the air, he coughed hard, clinging to Axel.

Axel held him close, rubbing his back. Trying his best to soothe him.  
Roxas had had asthma all his life and Axel used to have to help him all the time with his inhaler.  
But he hadn't had an attack sense a few years back.  
Axel didn't even have to guess as to what brought this one on.

It was because he had screwed up and left Roxas when the blond obviously had needed him most.

"...Axel.."  
Roxas said softly, sounding tearful.  
He didn't even dare to look up at those green eyes...afraid what they might hold.

"Shhhh..."  
Axel soothed, rubbing Roxas' back lightly.  
"I shouldn't have left you like that."  
He said firmly.  
Noting the blonde's silence, Axel decided it would be good to get somethings straightened out.  
"Look, Rox...what ever they said, you don't hav-"

Roxas looked up at him with hurt in his eyes.  
"Axel, I don't want to feel like this anymore...I-...I think I love you."  
He said shakily.

Axel stopped, his eyes glued on the others fully. Not even a crobar would pry his gaze away.  
"...Rox- I don't want you to think you have to return my feelings..."

Roxas shook his head with a slight cough,  
"No! You don't get it."  
He said firmly, and he pulled back slightly.  
"...They called you a-...a F-fuck...and I couldn't stand it. Mom even went so far as to tell me don't bother coming around if I was with you. She thought we might be together...and asked if I was...'queer'. I lost it.  
But that was when I found out that I really did l-love you."  
Roxas choked out, swallowing hard.

Axel knew now what had been causing Roxas so much pain.  
"Oh Rox...Don't you ever listen to them, or that witch."  
He said, pulling the blond to him tightly.

Roxas gave out a small whimper as he snuggled to the red-head.  
"I'll protect you."  
Axel stated firmly yet softly as the blond started to calm down.  
"I love you, too...so much."  
He whispered.

:::::::::::

That night, Roxas stayed over with Axel.  
The pair stayed close, Watching movies and simply cuddling on Axel's small sofa.

So long had Axel wanted to hold Roxas, that now he was doing it, it seemed almost to good to be true.

The Blond was still fragile and sometimes Axel had to be wary of how he said something.  
But never the less, Roxas felt safe in Axel's arms. Nothing his mother of brother could say would ever take him from his new love.

Axel even made them diner. Frankly, Roxas hadn't even known the red-head could cook.  
It was a spicey posta like none Roxas had ever tasted.  
Or course Axel would cook something spicy.

After a while, Axel couldn't help but smile at almost everything Roxas said or did.  
Roxas was pretty much the same way.  
And from that night, and many nights to come...  
Axel held Roxas in his arms, safe from any nightmare or specter that could possible bother them.

And Roxas would snuggle down into the warm, cinnamon-smelling sheets and against /his/ Axel;  
Sleeping soundly and contentedly.

Axel would lay awake a while longer, only watching his little blond sleeping.  
It made him proud to know that he was the only one that could make Roxas feel so safe.


End file.
